Overseeding??

[dietdew]

I have a pretty decent lawn which i think is made up of mostly rye and fescue. I would like to over seed with blue grass to get a darker thicker lawn. Any body done this or have tips??

[cheddar 86]

I'm by no means an expert - I would google it and you can find the basics - maybe you have already done that. As far as specifics I would recommended timers...if you are talking the whole yard in one fell swoop you are going to need some method of keeping it all wet. I experimented with a area of my lawn that one sprinkler could reach and had a timer setup that worked pretty sweet - Vigoro that you attach to your spigot and can water multiple times a day (9v battery). I also got an owl figure to keep the birds away - and I must say that worked good.

I think the key thing is the KGB (kentucky blue grass) has a long germination time...about 30 days (keeping it wet too). So you gotta be patient with it. The overseeding seed I used was a mix that included kgb, and it did eventually come in, but I was beginning to think it wouldn't. I also wouldn't expect to see a huge change right away. I think you need to do it year after year to see a change.

Part of the problem is that your kgb seed is going to compete with the existing grass. Therefore you will need to rake the bleep out of the grass to expose soil for the new seed to make contact with. You could use a dethatcher set low that would actually get into the soil a bit to rough it up. I noticed the area I overseeded which included near the street - this was the barest soil, but also the loosest and had the least competition from existing grass - this is where I saw the best growth. Where I thought I had raked enough in other areas didn't really take.

I guess bottom line make sure you stick with keeping the seed wet the full 30 days or so. Also don't expect a huge change with just one overseeding.

[dietdew]

I figured i would need to do a ton of raking and watering. Thanks for the tips.

[MuleShack]

Its getting kind of late to seed unless you have irrigation. The new sprouts will emerge in late June when it will be in the 80's and not fare so well.

Better time would be early august.

Imo.

[dietdew]

Yeah, i figured it would be best to wait now untill late summer

[fishnhuntnboy]

Wait till early fall to do it. You will get much better results. Before you seed I would aerate with a plug aerator. It'll benefit the lawn and then when you seed it will get down in the plug holes and thicken up the lawn and in your case help the KGB choke out the rye and fescue. Will take a couple years but you will see results this fall

[dietdew]

Is 10-10-10 a good fertilizer for kbg?

[LwnmwnMan2]

I have a pretty decent lawn which i think is made up of mostly rye and fescue. I would like to over seed with blue grass to get a darker thicker lawn. Any body done this or have tips??

Is your yard all sun? Or shade / sun, or mostly shade?

Do you have sandy soil, black dirt, clay?

How high do you typically mow your yard, do you mow it regularly, or mow when you have time, no matter the length?

[MuleShack]

Is 10-10-10 a good fertilizer for kbg?

If your over seeding and not reseeding the regular fertilizer will do.

I just picked up a bag of Lesco starter fertilizer 18-25-12 intended for straight seeding to get the roots to go deep and for moderate growth.

Depending on your soil conditions and mowing frequency will determine the formula of fertilizer used. They do make fertilizers that have quicker and slower release rates that nutrients get into the soil.

[dietdew]

Is your yard all sun? Or shade / sun, or mostly shade?

Do you have sandy soil, black dirt, clay?

How high do you typically mow your yard, do you mow it regularly, or mow when you have time, no matter the length?

Mostly sunny with a clay/ black dirt mix. I mow at leAst once a week and if it needs it before that i will mow it. I have been mowing it short. ( second to bottom setting on my mower)

[LwnmwnMan2]

Mostly sunny with a clay/ black dirt mix. I mow at leAst once a week and if it needs it before that i will mow it. I have been mowing it short. ( second to bottom setting on my mower)

You will need to change this last statement. KBG of all grasses needs to be cut taller, at least 3" if not 3.5". Even the grasses you already have will fare better if you raise the mower.

There are very few cool season grasses outside of golf courses that can handle mowing that short and still look / feel decent and keep growing.

You're basically mowing the leaf of the grass plant off, only leaving the stem.

Raise the mower up. It sounds like you have decent soil, but a soil sample will never hurt, just to make sure you have the proper nutrients in the ground.

[dietdew]

Thanks lawnman. I will raise the deck . When overseeding does it help to keep the grass short on the day of seeding?

[LwnmwnMan2]

I never suggest lowering the deck for any reason on cool season grasses. All you're doing is stressing the good grass.